A camera system for a mobile device, a method for localizing a camera and a method for localizing multiple cameras

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a camera system for a mobile device. The camera system comprises at least one camera which is freely mounted to the mobile device. Further, the camera system comprises at least one motion measurement unit configured to provide motion data of the camera and a data processing circuitry configured to determine a pose of the camera from the motion data.

1 . A camera system for a mobile device, comprising:
 at least one camera, wherein the camera is freely mounted to the mobile device;   at least one motion measurement unit configured to provide motion data of the camera; and   a data processing circuitry configured to determine a pose of the camera from the motion data.   
     
     
         2 . Camera system of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the camera is configured to provide a sequence of images of an environment; and   wherein the data processing circuitry is further configured to determine a pose of the camera within the environment from a correlation between the sequence of images and the motion data.   
     
     
         3 . Camera system of  claim 2 , wherein the data processing circuitry is further configured to
 determine a change of perspective of the camera by comparing a first image of the sequence of images with a second image of the sequence of images following the first image; and   determine the pose of the camera within the environment from a correlation between the motion data and the change of perspective.   
     
     
         4 . The camera system of  claim 3 , wherein the data processing circuitry is further configured to
 determine a first patch within the first image, wherein the first patch is indicative of a target within the environment;   determine a second patch indicative of the target within the second image by comparing the first patch with the second image; and   determine the change of perspective from a shift between the first and the second patch.   
     
     
         5 . The camera system of  claim 4 , wherein the data processing circuitry is further configured to
 determine a third patch indicative of the target within a third image following the second image by comparing the first patch with the third image; and   determine the change of perspective from a shift between the first and the third patch.   
     
     
         6 . The camera system of  claim 4 , wherein the data processing circuitry is further configured to determine a position of the target from the correlation between the change of perspective and the motion data. 
     
     
         7 . The camera system of  claim 6 , wherein the data processing circuitry is further configured to determine a velocity of the target by tracking the position of the target. 
     
     
         8 . The camera system of  claim 6 , wherein the data processing circuitry is further configured to
 register the position of the target in a digital map of the environment; and   determine a fourth patch indicative of the target within a fourth image based on the pose of the camera and the digital map.   
     
     
         9 . The camera system of  claim 1 , wherein the motion measurement unit comprises an inertial measurement unit, IMU, which is rigidly mounted to the camera and configured to provide at least a portion of the motion data. 
     
     
         10 . The camera system of  claim 1 , wherein the motion measurement unit comprises a global positioning system, GPS, sensor which is installed at the mobile device and configured to provide at least a portion of the motion data. 
     
     
         11 . The camera system of  claim 1 , wherein the camera is freely mounted to the mobile device by a camera stabilizer. 
     
     
         12 . The camera system of  claim 1 , wherein the camera is freely mounted to the mobile device by an elastic mounting. 
     
     
         13 . A camera system, comprising
 a first camera;   a first motion measurement unit configured to provide first motion data of the first camera;   at least one second camera;   a second motion measurement unit configured to provide second motion data of the second camera; and   a data processing circuitry configured to determine a relative pose of the first camera and the second camera towards each other from a correlation between the first motion data and the second motion data.   
     
     
         14 . The camera system of  claim 13 ,
 wherein the first camera is configured to provide a first sequence of images of an environment;   wherein the second camera is configured to provide a second sequence of images of the environment; and   wherein the data processing circuitry is further configured to determine the relative pose of the first camera and the second camera towards each other from a correlation between the first motion data, the second motion data, the first sequence of images and the second sequence of images.   
     
     
         15 . The camera system of  claim 13 , wherein at least one of the first and the second camera is freely mounted to a mobile device. 
     
     
         16 . The camera system of  claim 13 , wherein the data processing circuitry is further configured to
 determine a position of a target within the environment from a correlation between the first sequence of images and the first motion data;   register the position of the target in a digital map of the environment; and   detect the target within the second sequence of images using the digital map, the motion data and the relative pose of the first and the second camera.   
     
     
         17 . The camera system of  claim 13 , wherein the first camera is mounted to a first mobile device and the second camera is mounted to a second mobile device. 
     
     
         18 . A method for localizing a camera of a camera system for a mobile device, comprising:
 providing motion data of the camera using at least one motion measurement unit, wherein the camera is freely mounted to the mobile device; and   determining a pose of the camera from the motion data.   
     
     
         19 . A method for localizing multiple cameras of a camera system for a mobile device, comprising:
 providing first motion data of a first camera of the camera system using a first motion measurement unit;   providing second motion data of at least one second camera of the camera system using a second motion measurement unit; and   determining a relative pose of the first camera and the second camera towards each other through a comparison of the first motion data and the second motion data.   
     
     
         20 . A distributed camera system, comprising:
 a first camera configured to provide a first sequence of images of an environment;   a first motion measurement unit configured to provide first motion data of the first camera;   a first data processing circuitry configured to
 determine a position of target within the environment from a correlation between the first motion data and the first sequence of images; 
 register the position of the target in a digital map of the environment; and 
 provide the digital map of the environment. 
   at least one second camera configured to provide a second sequence of images of an environment;   a second motion measurement unit configured to provide second motion data of the second camera; and   a second data processing circuitry configured to
 determine a relative pose of the first camera and the second camera towards each other from a correlation between the first motion data and the second motion data; 
 receive the digital map of the environment; and 
 detect the target with at least one of the images of the second sequence of images based on and the digital map and the relative pose of the first camera and the second camera towards each other.